Protecting device for carrying children

ABSTRACT

The enveloping rigid shell (A), made in one piece, comprises a hood (2) protecting the head of the child, a bottom (1) forming a back or cradle, a seat (3), a gutter (4) for the legs, a movable foot rest in the gutter. To be appropriate for use as a baby carrier, straps for the horizontal transport are provided and for use as a push chair these straps allow in cooperation with a groove (37) the attachment onto a foldable carriage, with three attachment means onto the frame (B): two buckles (15) with ratchet mechanism of a same type of security belt on either side of the shell, a notch (20) into which a small tongue (33) from the base of the frame penetrates. The frame (B) of which the periphery is complementary to that of the shell (A) comprises anchoring means (34,36) onto a back of the seat of the vehicle and fixing means (18,33) for the rapid unhooking from the shell (A). It further comprises a protecting shield of flexible material arranged so as to receive  the child in case of a shock.

The invention relates to means for carrying children notably insidemotor vehicles, more particularly a protection device comprising awrapping back-rest provided with a head-rest overlying a seat surroundedby upholstered sides, a foot-rest, the assembly being adapted to besecured by suitable means between the front and rear seats of a vehicle,against the back thereof.

In this field, various prior art structures are known.

The U.S. Pat. No. 1,380,678 to PRICE discloses a child armchaircomprising a back-rest, arm-rests and a foot-rest mounted throughhooking means to the back-rest of the front bench-seat and comprisingleg means bearing on the floor of the vehicle.

The U.S. Pat. No. 2,890,740 to LARSON relates to a child's seatcomprising a foot-rest, means for hooking same to the backseat andvertically adjustable leg means.

The U.S. Pat. No. 1,629,834 to MILLER discloses a child's seatdetachable secured to the back-rest.

The French Patent Application 76 27055 discloses a child's armchair forautomobile, which comprises more particularly a back-rest provided witha head-rest, a device for maintaining the child against the back-rest,arm-rests, a foot-rest mounted for vertical adjustment on a rigid framestructure provided with leg means bearing on the floor of theautomobile, said frame structure being held in position between thefront and rear seats of the automobile by means for anchoring same tothe back-rest of the front bench, characterized in that the distancebetween the back-rests of the armchair and the front bench is determinedby the adjustable length of the armchair arm-rests.

The inconveniences common to these constructions lie in the fact thatthe child's safety, in the event of a shock from the rear is notsufficient, on the one hand, and in that separating the seat from themeans for anchoring same in the vehicle constitutes a tedious operation,on the other hand.

The scope of the invention is to provide a protection device for theoccupant which is both efficient with respect to shocks, irrespective oftheir direction, and self-contained so that it can be quickly removedfrom the vehicle without having to remove the child from its protectioncasing in which he can be transported also outside the vehicle.

For this purpose, the device according to the invention is characterizedby the fact that it consists of at least two separate elements providedwith means for quickly uncoupling them from each other, one of saidelements consisting of a rigid shell enveloping the child from head tofeet, which comprises an open face of which the major portion of theperiphery lies in a single plane substantially parallel to the solidbottom of the shell, said shell being a unitary structure comprisingseveral sections, a hood, a bottom, a seat, a cradle for the legs inwhich a suspended foot-rest is slidably mounted, the other element beinga rigid frame provided with means for securing same to the back-rest ofthe vehicle seat, means for quickly fastening the shell to the frame,means for holding the latter in a predetermined position in relation tosaid frame.

The main advantageous features characterizing this device lie in thefact that the rigid shell protects the child from all shocks, bothwithin the vehicle or when it is used as a cradle for transporting thechild, and in the fact that fitting the shell in position in a car, aswell as removing it therefrom, constitute easy and fast operations,without requiring the removal of the child from the shell in which hecan ball asleep or at least feel comfortable and wriggle without anyrisk.

Other advantages will appear from the following description of apreferred but not limiting form of embodiment of the device, and fromthe drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general view of the device fitted to the back-rest of a car;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the shell;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the shell;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the frame structure;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the frame structure.

FIG. 1 affords the view of the two elements constituting the deviceaccording to the invention:

The rigid shell A envelopping the child from head to feet, open on theside opposite the shell bottom 1, so as to constitute a receptacle forthe child who can see in front and about him without any hindrance.

The rigid frame B provided with means for fixing it to the back rest ofa vehicle seat, for receiving said shell and holding same in apredetermined position in relation to the frame.

The shell A, a unitary member like boat hulls, made of glass fabricimpregnated with polymerized resin, is reinforced at the level of thechild's head by carbon fibres.

Several sections can be distinguished in this unitary shell:

a hood 2 protecting the child's head,

a back-rest forming bottom 1,

a seat 3 on which the child is seated,

a cradle 4 for the legs,

a foot-rest 5 movable in the cradle.

The shell sides 6 comprise a notch 7 defining the lower edge of the hood2 so that the child can see on both sides and does not feel as if hewere enclosed in a case.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show constructional details of the shell A duly providedwith accessories which are an integral part of the device disclosedherein.

The edges 8 of the shell lie in a common plane substantially parallel tothe bottom 1, except for the edges 9 of notch 7. A protection bead 10lines said edges and assist in imparting a relative rigidity thereto,notably along the curved sections 11,12 of notch 7. These sections 11,12 are also reinforced with carbon fibres in order to increase thegeneral strength of the hood which might be impaired by the notches 7directed only to improve the child's comfort.

These notches 7 are by no means essential and, due to the inconveniencethey constitute with respect to the hood in relation to the shellassembly in case of shock from the rear, may be avoided. In other formsof embodiment, not shown, the notches are:

either dispensed with so that the peripheral edges of the shell liecompletely in a single common plane;

or partially closed by one or more possibly detachable bars,

or closed by a transparent plate also detachable to facilitate theingress of the child into the shell.

The shell A comprises several means affording different uses:

hanging points 13,14 for a strap 15 whereby the shell A can be suspendedto act as a transportable cradle or attached to a folding cart mountedon wheels to convert same into a perambulator, the fixing of the shellto the cart being completed by a groove 37 adapted to receive the cartwheel support;

a pair of buckles 16 engageable by the hasps of safety belts of which apair identical with the hasps 18 of the safety belts fitted on the carare secured to the frame B, so that by cooperating with a slit 20provided in the bottom of cradle 4 and having its edge reinforced by aportion 21 of increased thickness they afford an easy positioningthereof to the rear face of a vehicle seat to which the frame B wouldhave been fitted beforehand, and more particularly a likewise easy quickremoval of the device from the vehicle, without having to disturb thechild who in many cases will be asleep.

The advantage resulting from this fixing system is extremely importantfrom a safety point of view, notably in case of crash when the risk offire is particularly high: the shell will protect the child againstshocks, flames and, more particularly, when removing the child from thevehicle, it is recommended to leave the child in this protectionreceptacle.

This transportable comfort also permits of leaving in position the frameB and even of fitting several frames in several cars to be used with thesame shell A which is transferred from one frame to another as required.

A pair of loop-shaped straps or handles 19 secured to the shell at thelevel of buckles 16 are provided for fixing the shell A flat to the rearseat when the child is too young to sit down, by causing the safety beltto pass through at least one strap 19. In this specific case, aprotection net is attached to the edges of the shell so as to wrap upthese edges and prevent the child from being ejected from the shell incase the car overturned. The materials used for making the shell andthose utilized for coating or lining same both externally and internallyare self-extinguishable.

The foam material utilized for the many upholstered portions of theshell is also used for constituting the protection shield 17 disposedbetween the shell A and the frame B, against the rear face of theback-rest of a car seat.

This foam material has a density of the order of 40 kg/cu.m., and isreferred to as being of "firm quality", and is self-extinguishable incase of accidental ignition.

The seat 3 is covered with a cushion forming an integral part of theinner upholstering of the shell, which is a one-piece element,detachable or sewn, molded or injected integrally with said foam.

A foot-rest 22, suspended on either side by means of elastic straps 23attached to the sides of cradle 4, is adapted to slide in and passthrough the latter at right angles to its axis XX. The elastic straps 23are also provided for damping out shocks to the child's knees againstthe sides of cradle 4.

The foot-rest 22 cut from sheet metal or molded from plastic material isduly covered with a soft upholstering material, including its outerperiphery the cutting edge of which is thus deadened. It is providedwith a pair of lugs 25 of a length sufficient to extend through a pairof longitudinal slots 24 cut in the sides of cradle 4 and acting asslideways. A rivet fixed to each lug prevents the latter from escapingfrom its slot 24 and the foot-rest from jamming diagonally in thecradle. Each lug lying in a plane perpendicular to that of saidfoot-rest, its fastening edge is provided with a protection bead 26 toprevent the child's feet from being hurt. The foot-rest 22 collapses ina way under the lightest shock and the child then stands up against thefoam shield 17 in front of him, thus preventing any luxation or bonefracture, notably a hip bone fracture of which the joints arenotoriously fragile.

To retain the child in the shell A, two means are employed:

a safety belt 27, having a limited yet real elasticity when the child isdisposed within the shell, by an elastic strap 28 constituting a loop oneach side so that the child has the impression that he has a certainliberty of movement, strictly limited in case of shock;

the aforesaid protection net.

The frame B illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, constitutes a rectangleconsisting of an angle member having one wing 29 disposed against theback-rest of a vehicle seat, the other wing 30 carrying the hasps 18 forfixing the shell A into the receiving buckles 16 attached to the shell.

A flat iron 31 reinforces the fastening points and holds the hasps 18 ata proper relative spacing, these hasps being provided with a protectioncap to prevent them from constituting a danger for the rear passengerwhen the shell A is not fitted in the frame B.

The major sides of the frame are provided with angle members 32 disposedat spaced intervals on the wing 29 so that the edges 8 of the shell befirmly held and cannot escape from the frame in case of lateral shocks.The frame portion positioned in the lower portion of the back-rest of avehicle seat comprises, at equal distances from the two major sides, atongue 33 engageable into the shell slot 20 for accurately positioningthe shell A in relation to the frame B, so that the hasps 18 can snapwithout difficulty into the buckles 16. The frame B is secured to theback-rest of a vehicle seat by means of at least one strap passed aroundthis back-rest and also, when permitted by the specific structure ofthis back-rest, by means of a pair of rods 34 having one bent edgeadapted to pass behind a back-rest reinforcement: the other,screw-threaded end passing through one of the holes 35 formed in wing 29of the major sides of said frame, so as to be tightened by means of ahollow screw 36 to prevent the end of said rod 34 from protruding indulyand thus constitute an unevenness likely to hurt the child.

When the device is anchored to the front seat of a car and this seat isnot occupied, the position of the back-rest of this seat is reinforcedby fitting the safety belt associated therewith so that the back-restwill be retained in case of shock, without causing the weight of thechild in the shell A secured to the frame B to push the back-restforwards in the car.

We claim:
 1. Protection device for carrying children, which comprises,more particularly, an enveloping back-rest provided with a head-restoverlying a seat surrounded by upholstered sides, a foot-rest, thisassembly being adapted to be secured by suitable means behind the seatof a vehicle, characterized by the fact that it consists of at least twoelements independent of each other and provided with means for quicklycoupling and uncoupling these elements, one element consisting of arigid shell surrounding the child from head to feet, which comprises anopen side of which the major portion of the outer periphery lies in asingle plane substantially parallel to the solid bottom of the shell,said shell being a unitary member comprising several sections, a hood, abottom, a seat, a cradle for receiving the legs, in which a suspendedfoot-rest is slidably mounted, the other element being a rigid frameprovided with means for fixing it to the back-rest of a vehicle seat,means for quickly fastening the shell to the frame, means for holdingsaid shell in a predetermined position in relation to the frame. 2.Protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that thequick-action means for coupling and uncoupling the shell and frame toand from each other consist of three points, namely two safety belts onthe shell with two corresponding hasps on the frame disposed on eitherside of the longitudinal center line of the shell, substantiallyintermediate its major length, and a slot at the bottom of the cradlewhich is engageable by a tongue (33) of the frame.
 3. Protection deviceaccording to claim 2, characterized in that the frame comprises on eachone of its major sides, at least one groove (32) adapted to receive oneportion of the peripheral edge of the shell when the latter ispositioned against the frame, in order to prevent any undesired lateralmovement of the shell in relation to the frame.
 4. Protection deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the shell comprises oneither side at least two points for fixing a strap, which are sodisposed as to permit the transport of a child laying in the shell. 5.Protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lowerportion of the shell cradle comprises a groove (37) adapted to receivethe axle of the wheels of a light collapsible cart permitting ofutilizing the shell as a perambulator.
 6. Protection device according toclaim 1, characterized in that the holding belt (27) comprises on eachone of its spans an elastic strap (28) permitting a controlledelongation thereof.
 7. Protection device according to claim 1,characterized in that the foot-rest is movable in the cradle (4),suspended under the seat (3) by means of elastic straps (23) also actingas shock-absorbers, and comprises on either side a lug (25) slidablyengaging a lateral groove (24) of said cradle, said lug being provided,externally of the cradle, with a rivet of which the axis extends atright angles to the groove.
 8. Protection device according to claim 1,characterized in that a rod (31) holds said hasps (18) at a properrelative spacing on said frame.